Canada police make 'Mafia' sweep

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Canadian police have arrested about 90 people suspected of involvement in Mafia-style organised crime, in raids across the city of Montreal.

About 700 police officers took part in the early-morning operations, a Canadian police spokesman said.

Those arrested are likely to face more than 1,300 criminal charges including drug trafficking, gangster activity and attempted murder, he added.

The raids were the culmination of a police operation that began in 2004.

'Pierced'

The two-year operation, dubbed Project Colisee, set out to target the heads of crime organisations dealing in drugs, bookmaking and extortion, Cpl Luc Bessette said.

"We believe we've pierced Italian organised crime," he said.

Among those arrested was 82-year-old Nicolo Rizzuto, whose son Vito was deported to the US in August to face charges related to three murders in 1981.

As part of the operation, Canadian authorities have seized assets from some of those arrested, including homes and bank accounts.